Emigrating from UK to NZ

I’m in!

Let’s start this blog post off on a ridiculously high note – I have my visa!

After over a month, I can finally stop worrying that Mr Sazmo will have to go to NZ without me.

It hasn’t been a simple process and, in keeping with my experiences so far, finding out that my application had been approved wasn’t a walk in the park either. In fact, it was more like an epic quest, right into the depths of Mordor. I could rename this entire process as Lord of the Visa: The Fellowship of Immigration.

The first inkling I had that a decision might have been made was an email, received from DHL, informing me that some documents were on their way to me from Immigration in London. My immediate reaction was to ring them and ask if it was my passport with a visa or my passport with a scrawled note that said “thanks but no thanks”.

Their reply was that they didn’t know, as the documents were in a sealed envelope. At that point I almost asked them what their purpose was, other than irritating the b’jaysus out of me, but I withheld. My heart was hammering so hard, I couldn’t believe I was so close but still so far from finding out.

I drove straight home, grabbed the landline, and rang The Fellowship of Immigration in NZ. After being on hold for ten minutes, and desperately trying to stop shaking, I got through to a very helpful woman who told me that I was correct, a decision had been made on my application. The conversation went like this:

Lovely Kiwi lady: “Yes, we’ve made a decision on your application and your passport is being returned to you.”
Me (shaky but relieved): “That’s fantastic news, can you tell me what the decision was?”
Lovely Kiwi lady who has mysteriously changed into an evil wizard: “No. Not on the phone.”
Me (confused but hopeful): “No? Even though I answered an elaborate series of security questions to prove it’s me?”
Evil Wizard: “Nope.”
Me (dangerously close to the edge): “But you can see the result on the screen right now. In front of you.”
EVIL Wizard: “Yep.”
Me (grabbing desperately at straws): “Well, can you just, maybe sound positive or negative in the next things you say?”
Actual lovely Kiwi lady: “Erm…no. But I can email it to you. Is that okay?”
Me: “YES, FOR THE LOVE OF GRAYSKULL, PLEASE DO THAT.”

So, 3 agonisingly long minutes later, I opened a letter attached to an email that made all my dreams come true.

This is my penultimate night in the UK for now, as we fly on Tuesday. Saying goodbye to family and friends has been incredibly difficult, one of the hardest things I’ve done in a long time, but I know they understand why we are emigrating and I’m hoping to be showing them around our new place soon.